Herd of Zebras
by UnitedDestiny
Summary: This happened on final chapter, Spring. Just before the Giraffe scene... One-shot.


**Hi, readers! This is my first TLOU one-shot. I didn't play this game but I watched the whole walkthrough on pewdiepie's youtube channel. Note that strong languages were _all_ censored because it's not actually my thing (like ****;) I knew it is _almost _impossible for a zombie game to have no strong language...). Hope ya'll enjoy...**

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**Herd of Zebras**

_20 years later, 60 percent of Earth's population became mindless creatures infected by cordyceps, a type of mushroom that enters the brain when inhaled or bitten (or scratch) by the person who was infected. A normal person turns into one of the creatures within two days. People who survived the breakout stayed on the protected area of a city or called Quarantine Zone. Bandits, the unlawful ones, stayed on the abandoned cities and have built their quarters. They kill "tourists" passing by on their territory and gather useful resources from the victims after killing them mercilessly._

_Despite all these mournful years, the nature didn't even die. Instead, it continue to grow and even crawl the highest buildings to the depths of the damaged streets. Everywhere you look, green is almost everywhere, except for the sewers which is not reached by the sunlight . Wild animals freely roam the streets that were filled by abandoned vehicles._

_This happened after winter, before the duo reach the streets of Salt Lake City._

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"Ellie, wait up!" Joel huffed as he chased the fifteen year-old teen. She seems a little excited when she saw "black-and-white" horses on the subway. He never thought that she could outrun him and he stopped when she was nowhere to be found.

"Ellie!" he shouted and echoes through the street. Joel cursed under his breath as he imagine a horde of infected will hear his voice and ran towards him with their bony arms stretched forward. Instead, he suddenly heard thundering hooves out of nowhere and turned out that he scared a herd of zebras.

"****, Joel!" The teen said loud enough for Joel's keen ears to hear. He turned around and saw Ellie lamely stood up behind an abandoned car.

"You just scared those painted horses!" she angrily said while walking around the car, her left hand running through its rusty roof.

Joel smirked as Ellie said the "painted horses". Despite of her glare, he laughed.

"What's ******* funny?" The teen asked in a confused tone rather than angry and serious.

"Ellie, the horses you saw were not painted!" he said. He was about to tell what are the horses she saw but she left him as she dashes through the streets. He knew she wants to see the zebras closer but not wanting to scare them off.

"T-then, what are they?" Ellie asked, slightly embarrassed. "If you have told me the horses' names earlier, I shouldn't be embarrassed in front of you"

"You just ran off by yourself without even asking me what-" Joel was about to finish his sentence but he stopped when he heard the moans of infected coming from the alleyway and looks like they were lots of them.

"Let's get out of here" he whispered sharply and gestured to Ellie to run on the direction where the zebras fled.

They stopped running when the moans faded behind their backs. Joel looked around the street and the cost was clear.

"C'mon, Ellie" he said, "Let's-"

"Can't we just go and see the zebras you were talking about?" she suddenly said.

He sighed and said, "Okay, fine"

He saw the tracks below them and it was heading on the open area just beside the street. They followed it and lead them to the zebras who were eating the stray grass sprouting from the streets.

Joel, without a second thought, ducked down behind a car while planning to get closer. Ellie just followed his lead.

"You are planning to get closer, aren't you?" she asked while peeking on the other side of the car.

Joel didn't answer, instead, he crawled on the other car few meters ahead of them.

"We don't need to get any closer" Joel said as Ellie reached him, "That one is approaching"

He pointed his finger on the nearby zebra coming closer on their hiding place. It only stayed on a distance and turned back to return to its herd.

"It looks like a horse" Ellie said to Joel while they continue their journey.

"Zebra is a family of the horse, if I remember it correctly" Joel said

"I guess it is, Joel..."

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**Sorry if the ending was kinda rushed. Hope you guys enjoyed. -UnDy**


End file.
